Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of Federal Bureau of Narcotics
403 U.S. 388 · Decided June 21, 1971 · Supreme Court of the United States
Record summary. This page is generated from the Supreme Court Database’s coded data about the case. It describes who decided what, not the Court’s reasoning. Read the opinion itself before relying on it. Not legal advice.
At a glance
Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of Federal Bureau of Narcotics was decided on June 21, 1971 by a vote of 6–3. The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice William J. Brennan Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Search and seizure (general)” in the Criminal Procedure area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 403 U.S. 388 · 91 S. Ct. 1999 · 29 L. Ed. 2d 619 · 1971 U.S. LEXIS 23
- Docket number
- 301
- Decided
- June 21, 1971
- Argued
- January 12, 1971
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 6–3
- Majority opinion
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- William O. Douglas
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Search and seizure (general)
- Issue area
- Criminal Procedure
- Legal provision
- Fourth Amendment
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Hugo L. Black | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William O. Douglas | Majority | |
| Justice John M. Harlan II | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of Federal Bureau of Narcotics
SCDB identifiers: case 1970-138, docket 1970-138-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Search and seizure (general)”
- United States v. Harris
- United States v. White
- Wyman v. James
- Kelley v. Arizona
- Vale v. Louisiana
- Shadwick v. City of Tampa
Cases on the same legal provision: Fourth Amendment
- Coolidge v. New Hampshire
- Whiteley v. Warden
- United States v. Biswell
- Perini v. Colosimo
- Crouse v. Wood
- Hocker v. Heffley
Same Term, same area (Criminal Procedure)
- Colombo v. New York
- Thompson v. United States
- North Carolina v. Alford
- Dutton v. Evans
- Wyman v. James
- Procunier v. Atchley
Source: Supreme Court Database, 2026 Release 01 (data file dated September 8, 2026). Imported into CaseTrail November 5, 2026. Coverage: decisions from the 1946 through 2025 Terms. Methodology · Report an error